Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination versus La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream .

Last updated on October 23, 2023. Published on November 08, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 18 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin C and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

General Moisturizer French Brand France
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination

Shop

Buy The Moisturizing Soft Cream

Starts at $230.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Exfoliators (4)
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (5)
Redness Reducing (2)
Skin Texture (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin (6)
Acne Trigger (3)
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (5)
Eczema (5)
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Water • Cyclohexasiloxane • Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil • Glycerin • Alcohol Denat. • Butylene Glycol • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate • Calcium Gluconate • Disodium EDTA • Glycine • Sodium Citrate • Triethanolamine • Ascorbyl Glucoside • Panthenol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Cholesterol • Biosaccharide Gum-1 • Citric Acid • Dimethicone • Benzyl Alcohol • Citral • Hexyl Cinnamal • Limonene • Linalool • CI 19140 • CI 42090 • BHT • Chlorphenesin • Phenoxyethanol • Parfum

Tea-Laurate • Diethyl Phthalate • Algae Extract • Cyclopentasiloxane • Petrolatum • Glyceryl Distearate • Phenyl Trimethicone • Cyclohexasiloxane • Butylene Glycol • Cholesterol • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Steareth-10 • Dimethicone • Glyceryl Stearate Se • Polysilicone-11 • Glyceryl Triacetyl Ricinoleate • Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil • Glycerin • Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil • Medicago Sativa Extract • Prunus Persica Seed Powder • Helianthus Annuus Seedcake • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal • Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil • Sodium Gluconate • Copper Gluconate • Calcium Gluconate • Glycine • Zinc Gluconate • Tocopheryl Succinate • Niacin • Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder • Water • Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract • Laminaria Digitata Extract • Crithmum Maritimum Extract • Salicornia Herbacea Extract • Plankton Extract • Chlorella Vulgaris Extract • Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract • Sodium Hyaluronate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 • Caffeine • Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate • Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Triethylhexanoin • Sodium PCA • Cetyl Alcohol • Diethylhexyl Succinate • Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate • Cyanocobalamin • C13-14 Isoparaffin • Distearyldimonium Chloride • Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline • Sucrose • Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil • Trehalose • Hydrolyzed Algin • Micrococcus Lysate • Sea Salt • Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate • Lactoperoxidase • Glucose Oxidase • Urea • Glucose • Polyacrylamide • Glyceryl Polymethacrylate • Peg-8 • Laureth-7 • Lecithin • Triacetin • Sodium Chloride • Polyquaternium-51 • Potassium Phosphate • Alcohol Denat. • Parfum • Limonene • Linalool • Hydroxycitronellal • Citronellol • Geraniol • BHT • Disodium EDTA • Sorbic Acid • Chlorphenesin • Potassium Sorbate • Phenoxyethanol

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 1.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 33.

2
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Disliked

Cyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.

Cyclohexasiloxane is used to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. When applied to the skin, Cyclohexasiloxane evaporates and leaves behind a silky feel.

As an emollient, it can help the skin feel soft and hydrated. It is also used to reduce frizz in hair products.

Learn more about Cyclohexasiloxane

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 2.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 8.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.

A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 4.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 18.

4
What it does: Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.

Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.

One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.

Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 5.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 77.

5
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 6.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 9.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter is a plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.

Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.

Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 7.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 11.

7
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Calcium Gluconate.

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 9.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 27.

8
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 10.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 85.

9
What it does: Buffering, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Glycine is an amino acid that helps build proteins. It is already present in our skin as our bodies produce them naturally.

Glycine helps keep skin hydrated and reduce signs of aging. Amino acids help transport moisture throughout our skin; glycine already plays a role in helping keep our skin moisturized.

As collagen is made up of glycine and other amino acids, it is believed Glycine may help our skin produce more collagen. Collagen helps keep skin plump and firm.

Learn more about Glycine

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 11.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 28.

10
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 16.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 42.

11
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning, Stabilising
Community Rating: Liked

Cholesterol is a class of organic molecules called lipids. It helps hydrate your skin and is essential to having a healthy skin barrier.

Our skin naturally contains cholesterol in the outermost layer. Besides cholesterol, it also contains ceramides and fatty acids. Cholesterol makes up about 1/4 of your skin's outer layer and barrier. Your skin barrier is responsible for keeping allergens and microbes out. Having a healthy skin barrier is also responsible for keeping your skin firm and plump.

Our bodies use cholestrol to create vitamin D, steroid hormones, and more.

Learn more about Cholesterol

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 17.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 10.

12
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 20.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 13.

13
What it does: Perfuming, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.

Learn more about Limonene

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 24.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 79.

14
What it does: Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Linalool has the same effect as Limonene when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

Linalool has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

Learn more about Linalool

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 25.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 80.

15
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant. As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

BHT also helps stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Many products are sensitive to air and light. BHT prevents them from breaking down when exposed.

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 28.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 84.

16
What it does: Antimicrobial, Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

Learn more about Chlorphenesin

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 29.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 87.

17
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 30.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 89.

18
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination contains this as ingredient number 31.

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream contains this as ingredient number 78.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

29% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
48% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet
26% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
39% are disliked or very disliked
21% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to L'Oreal Attiva Hydrafresh Active Face Cream Gel Normal to Combination.

See 50 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 3 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream.

See 3 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...